Hugh Jackman will help reopen a forgotten Iowa cinema after his agent Patrick Whitesell took over the old place and renovated it. The William Morris Endeavor co-CEO and his father spent almost $600,000 (£400,000) to buy and revamp the bankrupt Iowa Falls Metropolitan Opera House, and it will relaunch this month (Sep13) with his client Jackman's new film Prisoners.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Whitesell was just six years old when his father took him to see Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory at the local cinema and he has been a fan of the theatre ever since.
When he learned bosses at Iowa theatre chain Big Time Cinema had declared bankruptcy, he stepped in to save the 114-year-old building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The place will reopen its doors on 21 September, when Jackman hosts the premiere of his new thriller.
The actor tells the publication, "When Patrick told me about what he was doing with his dad for the theatre in his hometown, I immediately wanted to be involved. It's not your typical place for a premiere, but the story behind the theatre was just so compelling, I had to be there."
All 100 $100 (£67) tickets for Saturday's premiere sold out within 35 minutes.
The two-cinema theatre will also screen Jackman's The Wolverine from Saturday (21Sep13).

Charlize Theron and Drew Barrymore's former manager has died. J.J. Harris, 62, was found dead at her Beverly Hills home on Saturday (31Aug13). It is believed she died from natural causes.
While working at top talent firms the William Morris Agency and United Talent Agency, she helped to guide the careers of Theron, Barrymore, Dakota and Elle Fanning and Kevin Costner, who she managed until her death.
She went on to set up her own company, One Talent Management, for which she served as CEO.

Dr. Luke will not be joining American Idol, despite previous reports. On Sunday (25Aug13), Dr. Luke's protege Becky G confirmed rumours the Since U Been Gone hitmaker was joining the singing competition show's 13th season as a judge.
She said to The Hollywood Reporter, "It's gonna happen. I think he'll do great and I'm really excited about it."
However, because of a label conflict, Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, has been forced to give up a possible role on Idol, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
A source says, "Luke wants to build an entertainment company... and after a lot of conversations, both Luke and Sony Music CEO Doug Morris came to the mutual agreement that taking Dr. Luke out of the Idol running was the best thing for all parties."
Earlier this summer (13), Keith Urban announced he would be back for a second season as a judge and Jennifer Lopez is reportedly back on board after taking a year off.

Actress Kathryn Morris has become a mum to twin boys. The Minority Report star and her actor beau Johnny Messner welcomed twins on Wednesday (21Aug13) in Los Angeles, according to Us Weekly magazine.
A statement from the couple reads "We are so grateful for these healthy, beautiful boys," and the new dad tweeted, "We are so blessed."
The first-time parents have been together for three-and-a-half years. In April (13), they announced they were expecting.

Glee creator Ryan Murphy was bombarded with death threats from angry fans after ending the lesbian relationship between Naya Rivera and Heather Morris' characters on the hit TV show. Rivera's Santana Lopez began dating her McKinley High School classmate and best friend Brittany Pierce, played by Morris, after officially 'coming out' in season three, but the characters called off their romance during an episode in last year's (12) fourth season.
The onscreen break-up left diehard followers of the musical drama heartbroken and they made their fury known by sending threatening messages to writer/producer Murphy - and Rivera can understand why impressionable youths were so worked up about the love split.
She tells Complex magazine, "Having gay characters makes a difference, especially when you are a teenager and you need people to look up to.
"Your world feels so small. The tiniest thing can make you think, 'I'm gonna die!' I'm glad Glee is around for people dealing with something that big in such a small world. It's important." (MT/CX)

Punk icon Greg Ginn has filed suit against his former Black Flag bandmates for alleged copyright infringement. The group co-founder claims the members of Flag - Keith Morris, Dez Cadena, Chuck Dukowski and Bill Stevenson - have infringed on rights he owns. Henry Rollins, a former member of the legendary punk outfit who is not part of the Black Flag splinter group, has also been named in the suit, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
Ginn is seeking an injunction against Flag's current tour, which kicked off in May (13), insisting that the band's logo is identical to Black Flag's. He also describes Flag as "a colorable imitation" that's "likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception among consumers".
He also accuses his former bandmates of "lying to the Trademark Office on registrations; using his own label's record covers to feign as though they've been continuing to use Black Flag since 1979 and using bootleg SST t-shirts."
Ginn, who is currently recording and touring under the name Black Flag, was sued by Dukowski in 2007, over claims the Flag star was entitled to a share of Black Flag's revenue, as he was still a member of the band. The pair reached a settlement, in which Dukowski agreed to never perform under or make use of the Black Flag name or logo for profit.
In his suit, Ginn also claims that Rollins and Morris filed to procure the trademark to the name Black Flag last year (12).

The stars of cult British TV comedy The Inbetweeners are reuniting for a sequel to their hit 2011 movie. James Buckley, Simon Bird, Blake Harrison and Joe Thomas will reprise their geeky characters for a follow-up which will be shot later this year (13).
A statement from creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley reads, "We couldn't be more excited to be making another Inbetweeners movie. A new chapter in the lives of the Inbetweeners feels like the very least we can do to thank the fans for their phenomenal response to the first movie."
The writers downplayed reports suggesting the second film, due in U.K. and Ireland cinemas next August (14), will take place Down Under, insisting, "Australia is just one of the ideas we're kicking around."
The Inbetweeners ran for three seasons on U.K. TV before hitting the big screen, and the film version, which was set in Greece, holds the box office record for the most successful opening weekend for a comedy release in Britain.

Rapper Wale has helped a financially-strapped college student stay in school by awarding her a $25,000 (£16,670) scholarship. The Pretty Girl hitmaker offered up the prize as part of a Norfolk, Virginia radio competition to celebrate the recent release of his hit new album, The Gifted, and Lauren Pryor was announced as the winner after becoming the 25th caller to enter the 103 Jamz station's sweepstakes.
Pryor, who studies psychology at Virginia's Hampton University, admits she couldn't be more grateful to Wale for the generous donation because she feared she would have to drop out of school due to a lack of funds.
She says, "Winning this scholarship was truly a blessing. Almost not returning to Hampton University in the fall (autumn) because of expenses, I was exceedingly fortunate to receive this scholarship. It was truly a test of faith."
Wale, 28, decided to give back to the local community after earning a scholarship to play American football at Virginia State University. He also studied at Illinois' Robert Morris University and Bowie State University in Maryland before finding fame as a hip-hop star.

Australian act Midnight Oil has quashed ongoing rumours of a reunion after the band's longtime manager officially quit to emphasise that the rockers won't be getting back together. The band officially parted ways in 2002 after three decades, but reformed for a handful of benefit shows in 2009. Speculation that the group would be reunited once again have been rife since frontman Peter Garrett, who quit the group in the 1990s to concentrate on a career in politics, confirmed he would be stepping down from his government duties.
The band has now moved to end the rumours once and for all alongside news that the group's manager Gary Morris has quit his role in a bid to convince fans that Midnight Oil is no more.
A statement from Morris reads, "Midnight Oil's legacy is undeniable, we have achieved great things together, there is much to be proud of in the band's list of achievements, we are brothers in arms and I will always be there for them... However, in light of recent speculation as to whether the band will reconvene now that Peter is quitting the political arena, now is the time to make my own position clear as to my future involvement with Midnight Oil."
Garrett adds, "We truly did accomplish amazing and enduring things working together and we should treasure that, now and in the future."
Referring to Morris' decision to quit, a statement from drummer Rob Hirst reads, "This news comes with mixed emotions: quiet reflection, warm affection and misty nostalgia for our shared history, alongside a real sense of achievement and well-deserved pride."

Australian rockers Midnight Oil have been offered a big money deal to reform for a series of shows in America. Frontman Peter Garrett, who quit the group in the late 1990s to focus on a political career, recently announced he is retiring from government duties and won't run again in the next election.
The news raised fans' hopes of a Midnight Oil reunion as Garrett recently revealed a comeback is "not out of the question", and the band's manager, Gary Morris, has now revealed an offer has been tabled for a series of shows in the U.S.
He tells Australia's Herald Sun, "(The band's U.S. agent Mitch Rose) said there were 50 festivals in America (that would suit Midnight Oil) where the band could earn between $75,000 and $200,000 per date."
However, Morris fears the rockers may snub the American show offer, adding, "Knowing where everyone's heads are at, I can't see it happening. I can only speak for (sic) my point of view... I've spoken to Pete and he's happy to have time to spend with (wife) Doris and his daughters and catch up on a bit of sleep. From what he said to me I think he will take two years out."
The band officially parted ways in 2002, but reformed for a handful of benefit shows in 2009.